(FAQ's) Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Where is your office located?

As of December 2014 YMI (Youth Missions International) main office is located in Seattle,WA. We are directly next to CenturyLink Field However, there are offices and team members in several states within the U.S. and we have other YMI field offices in the UK, Brazil & Peru. My work station is located in the Seattle office and I am commuting by Sounder Train from Tacoma. 


2. What is BASE Sports? 

 History: "Headquartered in Seattle, Base Sports became a division of Youth Missions International (YMI) in July of 2013. After years of growth of its own sports camps, and in line with the global reach of sports ministry, Base was formed to take sports ministry to a whole new level. Staff members have joined YMI's effort that have a combined 28 years of experience in sports ministry and will ensure that this vital ministry continues to flourish and grow under Base Sports."
         
Purpose: "To equip the local church with sports ministry tools that enact life change and develop fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ." 

Equip churches and individuals to use sports as a tool to share the word and love of God.

Provide opportunities for children to learn skills and grow in their personal faith.

Engage with local churches to offer different types of sports ministry that will impact their local communities.

Produce curriculum and training that will create effective ministry.

Prepare young people to live and share their faith in the global communities they serve.

      

3. What exactly is a "Church Relations Coordinator?" 
         
I wear a few different "hats" as the CRC for Base Sports. They include Sales & Evangelism, Encourager & Cheerleader. We are heading into our summer season, which is the biggest season for Base Sports as you can imagine. So for now my primary role will be a liason between the churches we currently have signed up to do Sports camps with Base Sports/YMI. I will be available to answer questions, give direction, provide resources and my favorite part to build relationship with and pray for the Children and Youth directors that will be using our curriculum and teams. Once the fall comes, I will also spend quite a bit of time recruiting churches and selling them our curriculum and generally educating them on the significance Sports Ministry can have in their church. Underneath it all; my personal intent is to get the word of God and Jesus' love into the hearts of as many children & youth as possible. 
          

4.  Why do you need to raise your own support? 
          
YMI is a 5013C non-profit organization. We are fully staffed by "Volunteers" and recognized as a Missions Organization. Each staff member from the Director/President on down is self-funded like any other Missions organization. In order to fulfill the call God gave us to serve Him full time with this organization, we each need to get donations from friends, family, churches etc... in order to pay our personal and household bills. 


5. How Much money are you asking for/do you need to raise? 
I am blessed that I do not need to raise quite as much as some of my co-workers. As of February 2015 my total monthly need is $1,250. This primarily covers taxes, retirement (required by the org) health insurance etc... less than half of this money will go to pay my household bills. This need will change (go up) however as my kids get older. I hope to have 30-40 people commit to supporting me monthly, with a donation of $35-50. Will you consider being one of them? (All donations are tax-deductible) 
          

5. How do I send you money? 

You may send a check-
                    payable to: Youth Mission International. 
                    mail to: 901 Occidental Ave. South. Suite 304 
                                Seattle, WA 98134
                    designate: MIA POWELL on the Memo line
                                      --OR--
You may pay online- 
*Click the link below or go to www.ymimissions.org and scroll to the bottom of the page and click "give". 
*Please fill out the donor/billing information & the frequency which you are giving. 
*Designate: MIA POWELL in the "comments" section.  

                                http://www.ymimissions.org/give/

6. How do I know the money is being spent wisely, what form of accountability is there? 

* First of all YMI is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (EFCA) http://www.ecfa.org/. A national organization for many Christian Non-profits; that helps to maintain ethics and accountability.

* We also have a board of directors that meets quarterly and along with many other decisions they are responsible for, they oversee the spending of money for the org as a whole. 

* For myself personally... all the money you donate designated directly to me, is filtered through YMI. I receive an actual paycheck directly from YMI 2 times per month. 
        
* I will have an annual review of my spending with HR department to assess both my "needs" and make any adjustments as well as to make sure that the money I am getting is being spent wisely etc... 
         
*It's encouraged for YMI staffers to not use Credit cards often, to avoid debt where possible and not default on any payments for any of their household bills. 

First week on the job! FEB 2015

Well I completed my very first week at my new job & I absolutely love it so 

far! 

The painted logo as you walk into our office. 

            I took a minute on Tuesday afternoon to look around the office and 

the people I will be working with & got a little choked up. It "hit" me how 

incredibly blessed I am. I am humbled beyond measure to finally be a full-time 

Missionary. A life long dream has finally come true. To be working full-time in 

ministry (again) alongside others who have the same heart, vision, passion... It 

is an amazing feeling to feel like you're "home" and doing what you were 

MEANT to do. After 3 years in limbo ("waiting by the Kerith") to have purpose 

and a plan. It's indescribable. 

Our office is "coffee house" style. Open with tables as work stations. Great lighting and very easy to communicate with co-workers. Although there is almost no privacy. :) 

           
They had me working hard from the first day, I have lots of "product 

knowledege" to learn (Base Sports curriculum and about the ministry as a 

whole of YMI) and also lots of training to learn to "Mission Differently." 

This is MY work station/table. 

There are about 4-5 whole books 

they want me to read over the next 

week or two as well as 

familiarizing myself with their 

software & other tools they use for 

projects and communication. 

One of the best things 

I learned this week was that even 

though my job is based in the States 

I will have opportunities to do 

short term mission trips abroad. 

Not many and not often, but this is so exciting for me. 

I also learned a little more about my role as Church Relations Coordinator and 

my region. Which for now is the entire United States. I am the liason between 

YMI/Base Sports and about 72 churches that use our curriculum and program 

for their Children Ministry.                                                                                       
Finally, below are some more photos I have taken of some of my new friends and workplace. I am beyond humbled and thrilled that God would see fit to use me to accomplish anything for His Kingdom. I am also incredibly thankful for you all my friends and family and new friends for your faithful encouragement and support for many many years. God is good. I can't wait to see where this next chapter of my journey goes. 

This is our meeting space. As soon as you walk in our office. 

This is my friend Emily Branch. We have many friends in common and she is the one that encouraged me to apply for a variety of open positions that they needed filled at YMI. Without her, I would not be here. God used her mightily! 

This is my new friend Dezi. She works on Emily's team. She just got back a couple of days ago from Ecuador! 

These are my new friends Diane & Rose. They run the place. Pretty Much. Ha ha 

YOUTH MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL

Who we are 
A training organization that empowers young people to continually live and share their faith in Christ in the global communities they serve.

Our Story
With our international office in the Seattle area, Youth Missions International was founded in March 2007 by a highly experienced group of short-term mission trainers and senders. Over the years we have expanded our reach, training and sending groups of young people - from junior high through college-age - to locations on five continents around the world. Along the way countries have invited us to help them mobilize their youth and develop them into young Christian leaders. That's how our sister organizations, YMI Brasil (2010), YMI Peru (2011), and YMI UK (2014) were born. In 2013, one of our local ministry options for churches, sports ministry, grew large enough to become a new division of our organization called Base Sports. Now, along with our mission division, named Mission Differently, we continue to assist churches and missionaries around the world to reach others with the Gospel through evangelistic ministry led by young people.

Our Cornerstone Verse 
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8 

Our Method In step with Acts 1:8, we provide churches and individual young people (junior high-college age) with resources, training and opportunities to evangelize locally, regionally and internationally.

The Journey Began...

Take a glimpse back with me briefly if you would...

I was just 15 years old when I went on my first Missions Trip with my youth group. 

Of course I had a small understanding of "Missions" since I was the product of it...(A longer story for another day. See the link below for more details about my personal background & history. ) 

It was in Mexico 1989 and the subsequent youth conference that I got "the call". 

I remember so clearly our speaker asking the question...and me standing up and saying aloud "Here I am, Send me!" 

I remember coming home and telling my parents as well as standing up in front of the church body and saying these words... "I was called to full-time Missions". 

Flash forward 26 years ..a marriage, 4 children and lots of life later and through the years, I have been on about a dozen short-term teams, led 4 short trips and resigned myself to "Part-time" Missions. 

I spent 2.5 years in "World Missions Perspective" class. (A collegiate level course on preparing missionaries for the field produced by YWAM) But still never believed the door would open for God to fulfill this promise in my life, given to me so many years ago. 

A vision, a passion and dream given to a 15 year old child. 

But for "Such a time as this..." 

December 2014 ...I have a friend who works with YMI and she suggested I apply for a position. Nearly 2 months and a couple of interviews later I accepted the call to be "Church Relations Coordinator" for YMI's BASE Sports division. So here I am. A full-time Missionary fulfilling God's call on my life. 

As promised here is the link to an interview of me and my sister. (By: WWW.Talkituptv.com) 
My parents were missionaries in Ecuador for over a year... working with my Aunt & Uncle who have been Missionaries for 60 years now. 

COPY & PASTE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dztJXL-5Nds

Take a Journey with me if you will...

If you are reading this; first let me say THANK YOU. It means you're interested enough in me or Jesus to know what HE is up to in my life and through my work. I am so thankful for your interest and I hope & pray that you are prompted by these musings, anecdotes and journal entries. 

Each post will feature a short anecdote about my adventures, what I am learning from them, a few things I'm thankful for and of course my needs of various kinds. 

I will also try and keep them brief. In the wise words of one Joe Friday (Dragnet) I will give you "Just the facts"... 

While my purpose in writing is to help you feel connected and invested in the ministry God has called me to, I also hope that you will actually enjoy them (and maybe even be a little entertained along the way. Because, life is messy sometimes. And I am human.) I fully intend to be transparent and truthful. Even when it is humbling for me. 

In whatever capacity you are able or led to support me I will be truly grateful. Every thought, every prayer, every minute and of course every dollar you spend on me is an investment in Gods Kingdom. An investment that will not return void, in fact has great gains and one that I will not take for granted. 

May God bless you in advance for your encouragement and support. 

How exciting we get to be in the FRONT ROW of what God Himself is doing in the lives of those around us! WOW. I am both humbled and bubbling over with anticipation... 

Thanks again for joining me... 

Love 
Mia